The Nature Exchange
After years and years of pushing strollers around the Tulsa Zoo (most of those being very pregnant and hoping it would induce labor), I learned something new this past spring. That building that says “Nature Exchange” – it is a nature exchange. What?! It is like an arcade where you save up points or tickets to exchange for junk, only its not an arcade and it doesn’t hold junk. It is awesome.
I’m pretty sure it has been there for several years, but previously I avoided all buildings at the zoo and stayed outside. My kids are getting older, so going in the buildings with them is not as stressful anymore. Last spring my 7 year old Naturalist wanted to go see what was inside, I am so glad he begged and I agreed.
It is a tiny little building full of all things nature. The idea is that kids bring in nature items to trade for ‘points’. They can spend their ‘points’ that day or save up for something bigger. The best part is that it encourages learning. The points aren’t given just for the object, they are given for knowledge. So my son could bring in an acorn and get tons of points if he really studies up on acorns and brings in research, drawings, pictures, etc. For a kid that says he doesn’t like writing – it is such a gift to find something that gets him so excited to write!
The other four kids really aren’t all that interested in doing the research and trading. And that is fine, they have their areas of interest that encourage those things. They overhear all their brother is learning and they are soaking it in too. I absolutely love that my son gets so excited to read and write about the random objects in nature he finds. He is currently saving up his points for a beaver skull…
And then we ventured around the zoo….it was almost like she knew to pose that way for me.
These two are 15 months apart. It feels like they are twins in many ways. I love watching their funny & sweet relationship. They are either fighting or in a pretend play world together. Rarely anything in between the two.
Don’t worry we used antibacterial lip gloss afterwards. (Not really.) Such a fiery, sweet spirit she’s got.
If you are wondering how I was able to avoid all the other people in my shots…well, I avoid the zoo at all costs during the busy hours. Most small zoos if you go about 2 hours before closing, you can find them fairly empty. There is an airport near our zoo, so it is extra fun to pack a picnic dinner to eat in the fields near the runway. We haven’t done that in quite a while and writing this makes me want to make that happen very soon.
Happy Friday, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
